Process of preparing n-alkylated compounds of condensed arylpyrrols



Patented Feb. 1, 1949 PRocEss F PREPARING N-ALKYLATED COMPOUNDS 0F CONDENSED HARYL- PYRROLS Harry W. Grimmel and Harlan B. Freyermuth,- Easton, Pa., assignors to General Aniline & Film Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application June 28, 1944, Serial No. 542,628

7 Claims The present invention relates to a process of preparing N-substituted compounds of the pyrrole series in which one pyrrole ring is fused onto a carbocyclic radical.

Indole itself has been prepared from the corresponding non-substituted hydrazine with good yield. Heretofore it has been proposed to prepare N-substituted indoles from the corresponding asymmetric hydrazines, which in turn are obtained by the reduction of the N-nitroso derivative of the corresponding secondary amine. However, the preparation of N -substituted indoles by this method gives unsatisfactory low yields.

In those pyrrole derivatives wherein the alpha and beta carbon atoms are not a part of a homocyclic ring system, the alpha and beta carbon atoms are highly reactive and treatment with methyl iodide, for example, yields a mixture of skatol and N-methyl indole. Beilstein, vol. JQK/XXlL p. 124. Therefore, it was to be expected that attemptsto attach an alkyl group to the nitrogen atom by reaction with an alkylating agent would yield mixtures of the C-alkylated indoles, with inferior yields of the former, and which mixture is diflicult to separate. Also attempts to alkylate such indole derivatives by treating the alkali metal compounds with an alkylating agent have not been satisfactory and in general produce mixtures of alkylated and unalkylated compounds with inferior yields.

' Heretofore, it has been proposed to prepare N-alkyl pyrroles of the carbazole type by reaction of an alkylating agent in the presence of an organic solvent and a caustic alkali as an acid binding agent, special precautions being taken to prevent thepresence of more than about 3% water. However as commercial caustic alkali contains a high proportion of water not easily given up this process entails a special treatment of the caustic alkali to remove water therefrom and special handling of the anhydrous caustic alkali before introducing it in the alkylation reaction.

. In accordance with the present invention it has been found that N-alkyl substituted compounds of pyrrols in which the pyrrole ring is condensed with a carbocyclic ring may be prepared by direct cyclic nuclei which may contain substituentsiin' treatment with, a suitable alkylating agent in the 1 rol nucleus condensed with one or more carbo-v the carbocyclic nucleus or the pyrrol nucleus.

The invention is particularly applicable to the N-alkylation of indoles, as the reaction, carried out with such compounds, results in selective alkylation of the cyclic nitrogen and substantially no alkylation of the alpha or beta positions; The product obtained is substantially free from non-alkylated indole and yields are high. ,The process of the present invention has the additional advantage that the caustic alkali maybe added in an aqueous solution thus eliminating the problem of dehydrating caustic alkali, the dry grinding of solid caustic alkali, and the problem of handling dry powdered anhydrous caustic alkali, and requires no special precaution regarding the presence of water in the reaction mixture.

In carrying the invention into practice the reaction is carried out in a suitable reaction vessel equipped with a reflux condenser having a vent for escape of an azeotropic mixture connected to a condenser and receiver. Into the reaction vessel is introduced the inert solvent and caustic alkali preferably in the form of an aqueous solution together with the pyrrole compound to be alkylated, and the mixture is then heatedto distill 01f an azeotropic mixture of Water and solvent. which is collected in the receiver. A suitable alkylating agent is then introduced and the reaction is con.

tinued with azeotropic separation of water until no further water is distilled off. The N'-substi, tuted derivative produced may be isolated by filtering off the alkali salt produced and distilling ofi the organic solvent in any suitable manner.

. If desired, steam distillation may be employed for this purpose. In view of the ease with which the alkali metal pyrrolesare hydrolized by water, it was not' to be expected that the water in the caustic alkali could be prevented from having a hydrolytic action under the conditions of the reaction. I

The pyrrole which may be N -alkylated according to the present invention may be represented by the generic formula:

wherein X and Y stand for hydrogen, aralkyl, alkyl, aryl, carboxyl or X andY together form part of a carbocyclic ring, and Z represents a monovalent substituent, such as, for example, aralkyl, alkyl-, aryl-, nitroor halogen. In particulan the preferred pyrroles are indoles, that is, those wherein thealpha and beta carbon atoms are not a part of a homocyclic ring system, that is, wherein X and Y stand for hydrogen, aralkyl-, alkyl-,

arylor carboxylg. Examples of suitable compounds among others are 2-phenylindole, 5- methyl-2-phenyl-indole, Z-methylindole, indole,

over about two hours.

3-methylindole, 2-tertiary butylindole, indole acarboxylic acid, indole-fl-carboxylic acid, carbazole, and 3-nitrocarbazole; Any alkylating agent 7 which is not volatile to any great extent at the temperature of the azeotropic distillation maybe employed. Generally, we prefer .to employ as alkylating agents the various alkyl-esters conj taining the desiredalkylgroup to be introduced,

and in particular we prefer to use the dialkyl sulfates, such as dimethyland diethyl-sulfates.

Other examples of alkylating agents that are suitable are benzyl chloride, methyl benzene'sulfonate,

methyl-p-toluenesulfonate, n-butyl-p-brombenzenesulionic acidaandhigher alkyl' sulfoxy esters.

Caustic soda orcaustic potash maybe employed asthe aIkali'metal: hydroxide, although the latter maybe in excess of 3 by weight.

T :Any'inert solvent forming anaze'otropic'mixtare-with water may be employed; In particular we'- prefer to employ inert solvents forming azeotropic with water havingrninimtun boiling pointsp- Examples of suclrinert solventsare this aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene,

toluene and xylene, or their substituted derivati'ves suchas chlorobenZene or nitrobe'nzene;

Preferably the reaction is carried out under vacuum conditions, preferably at about 70 C. to facilitate the removal of watery' It is also preferred to introduce the-alkylating agent gradually to avoid' hydrolysis thereof by the waterformed in-thereacti'on, althoughif'de'sired, the total quantity of alkylat'ingagentmay be added at onetime. r I :1 V V p The; proportions' of solvent 1 and reactive ingredients may be varied through awide range. Preferably an excess of alkylating agent is empioyed. QInfusingjdialkyl sulfates as alkyiating a ents t e eac o 'j sr c i o t i h a cieritpxcess 'of dialkyl sulfate so that "substantiallynoneof themonoallgylfsulfate formedfis hydrolized. An excess ofat leastone'mol, and

preferablly anexce ss of one and one quart'er'mols is employed That is; two or more molsof dialkyl. sulfate are employed for each mol of indole compound t bealkylated. The amountlofinert sol-j vent t'oibeemployed also may, vary,jand we prefer tpgempioy a large excess so as to. dissolve all of 'thejinitial findole compound and all of the alkylated product formed, and thusqprovide a.

homogenous mixture throughout thereaction.

Thereactio'n vessel may be of; 'any -suitable material, and is equipped with awater cooled. re

' flux. column, acondenser and a water receiver, suitably connected to .a -vacuuin pump, where the reaction is to be carried out uncler reduced-pres- A sure. As such apparatus is wellknown in the art it will not be describedin greater detail.

The invention will be described in greater detail in connection with the following examples which are cited to illustrate the invention, the partsbeing by weight.

- Example I A of 193 parts;2-phenylindole,'and 866 parts'toluene is refiuxed;ina vessel equipped with a. reflux .condenser and .moisture receiver and 2,460,746 r v f 332.5 parts 66% aqueous caustic potash solution kept atabout 50 C. are added slowly, until no more water is given ofi. There is then added under vacuum reflux, atabout 20.0 mm. mercury pressure and a 'teiriperature of 68-20 CS, 286 parts dimethylsulfate, the addition taking place slowly The reaction mixture is refluxed at this temperature for about two hours longer, water being collected in the. receiver throughout the reaction. When no further water is distilled off the reaction mixture is cooled to about 50" Cr and. then the potassium methylsulfate is filtered off, the filter cake being washed with about 200 parts toluene. This filtrate is combined with the first filtrate which is then heated to. distill off the toluene. The l-methyl- Z-phenylindole obtained distills at 178180 C.

at 4 mm. pressure, andby the nitrate color test shows complete absence of non-methylated indole. If better purity is desired, the material may b'e recrystallized --from;90% "ethanol upon which I83grarns having amelti'ng point oFQ-Q IOPCJs isigpreferred', and the amount of. water present obtained, which is'a yieldoi about QSQif of me theoretical. a 1

7 Example H 193 parts 2-phenylindole and 8.66 parts toluene are refluxed .and 332.5 .partsLof 66% aqueousv caustic potash solution kept ataboutfil) are added slowly as described in' Example 1. until a water no longer comes into the moisture receiver;

whereupon 350 parts of diethylsulfatev is I added under a vacuum of about zcamm, mercury pres sure at a temperature of 67, the addition being made slowly over about two hours-J- 'Refiuxing is continued 'at thistennoeratiu'e for about 'two hours longer until there isno more-water entering the moisture receiver. 'Th reaction mixture is 'cooled' to about 0;, then the potassium ethylsulfate 'fis filtered oii and washed-with toluene-the filtrates combinegLand the toluene distilled off to recover' the l-ethyl Z-phenyl'- 207 parts; 5-methyle2ephenylindole,

toluene, 332 .5 parts cansticpotash and 285 parts, dimethylsulfate are. reacted as; described in;

1 Example I in: connection with2-phenylindole.

After no further moisture distills off the reaction mixture issteam distilled. to removethetoluene and aiter cooling, the solid: residue-is filtered 011 from the aqueous solution ,of dissolved saltsr washed. with water and-dried. Recrystallization of the filter cake-from;9&%ethanol-results in a yield of 87%;; of.1,5 dimethyl 2fphenylindole melting at. 122-12456; Aicolor-reactiontest shows the absence ofnon-alkylatedjndolez;

. V l v J parts 2=methyl in'dole, 866--partsctoluene, 332.5 parts 66% "aqueous: caustic potash. solution and 350 parts diethyl sulfate are reacted andthe product recovered as described- :in I Example I in connection with .'2-pheny1-indole. -.There-'i-s ob tained l-ethyI-2 methyl't'indole, as a nearly color--= product-contains nonon-alkylated' potash kept at about 50 are added slowly as described in Example I until water no longer comes into the moisture receiver, whereupon 1'75 parts diethylsulfate is added gradually during two hours under a vacuum of about 200 mm. mercury pressure at a temperature of about 68-70.' Refluxing is continuedat this temperature for about two hours longer until there is no more water entering the moisture receiver. The reaction mixture is cooled to about 50 and the potassium ethylsulfate is filtered ofi and washed with toluene on the filter. The combined filtrates then are steam distilled to remove all of they toluene and upon cooling the solid precipitate obtained is filtered off, washed with water, and dried. Recrystallization of this filter cake from 95% ethanol resulted in a yield of 71% of 3-nitro- 9-ethylcarbazole having a melting point of 126-128. A color reaction test shows the absence.

in an organic solvent therefor which is chemically inert in the reaction and which forms azeotropic mixtures with water, an aqueous solution of caustic alkali in an amount in excess of that theoretically necessary to form the N-alkali in-.

doleand a dialkyl sulfate non-volatile at the reaction temperature, the refluxing being continued until no more Water is distilled off, and isolating the N-alkyl indole from the reaction mixture.

2. The process for producing N -monoalkyl indoles which comprises refluxing an indole containing the hetero grouping with an aqueous solution of caustic alkali in ex cess of that theoretically required to form the N-alkali indole and an organic solvent for the indole which is chemically inert in the reaction and which forms an azeotropic mixture with water, until no more water is distilled ofi, adding a dialkyl sulfate which is non-volatile at the reaction temperature to the reaction mixture, continuing the refluxing under vacuum until no more water is distilled ofi, and isolating the N-alkyl indole from the reaction mixture.

3. The process as defined in claim 2 wherein the indole subjected to alkylation contains an aryl substituent on the alpha carbon atom thereof.

4. The process as defined in claim 2 wherein the indole subjected to alkylation is 2-phenyl indole.

5. The process as defined in claim 2 wherein the indole subjected to alkylation is 2-phenyl indole and the dialkyl sulfate is dimethyl sulfate.

6. The process as defined in claim 2 wherein the indole subjected to alkylation is 2-phenyl indole and the dialkyl sulfate is diethyl sulfate.

7. The process as defined in claim 2 wherein the indole subjected to alkylation is S-methyl- 2-phenyl indole.

HARRY W. GRIMMEL. HARLAN B. FREYERMUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,494,879 Atack May 20, 1924 1,662,061 Hess et al Mar. 13, 1928 2,010,426 Burke Aug. 6, 1935 2,128,136 Gloor Aug, 23, 1938 2,211,771 Engel et al Aug. 20, 1940 

